Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-22
THE DEADLY SEWER.
SEWERS IN ROCHESTER BELCHING
 FORTH FLAMES.
Fourteen Thousand Gallons of Naptha in the Mains Ignited, Resulting in Series of Shocks-Four Persons Killed and Twenty Badly Injured.


 the Mains Ignited, Resulting in 8 Series
 of Shocks-Four Persons Killed and
 Twenty Badly Injured.
 ROCHESTER, N. Y., Dec 22.-Just before half past 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon an explosion of gas took place at the Jefferson and Clinton mills on Mill street, in this city, and they were speedily enveloped in flames. The fire department was summoned and soon after general alarm was turned in. Before the department had reached the station at the corner of Mill and Platt streets. the en- tire city was alarmed and shaken by num- Der of explosions Immediately following, huge clouds of smoke arose from half dozen points on Mill and Platt streets, and flames burst from the windows of the Clin- ton Mill. The flames soon spread to the Washington mill, and before anything could be done to preventstheir spread, the rear of Whitney & Wilson's mill was also in flames
 While the firemen were laying line of hose to the burning buildings half a dozen man holes blew up in Mill street. Thousands of people had been attracted by the ex- plosion, and as they pushed through State and Platt streets to the scene of the fire they were brought to halt by other explosions in Platt and State streets, and thrown into confusion. They fled in every direction, but wherever they went they met with q repeti- tion of the same scene. The explosions con- tinued at such frequent intervals that there was no telling when the horrors would cease
 By 6:30 the fire was practically under con trol as far as the mills were concerned, but the sewer mains were sending up columns of flame at frequent intervals. Shortly after o'clock an explosion occurred near a new sewer which is being dug on Atkinson street. Two workmen were thrown violently to the ground and one was severely bruised. There was also an explosion on West avenue. in front of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg depot The paving stones were thrown high in the air.
 Inquiry at the office of the Municipal Gas company developed the cause of the explo- sion: ''Several years ago." it was stated, ''the Vacuum Oil company ran pipe from its works to those of the Municipal Gas con- pany in order to supply it with naphtha. This pipe line runs along the bed of the Genesee Valley canal three or feet under ground. At Atkinson street the contractors were blasting carelessly, undoubtedly, and in this way the pipe was broken. The naphtha ran down into the outlet sewer through Canal street into Platt street, and from there into Mill street, where it has caused this trouble. I presume 12,OOO or 14,0OO gallons of naphtha have gone into the sewers. We were informed that our gas was escaping on Mill street. We sent man down there to turn it off, and he reported that he smelled fresh naphtha. This was the first had heard of the escape. The SUD- ply of naphtha was cut off immediately by the Vacuum Oil company and the gas was at once cut off from our pipes"
 When the firemen arrived the flames had obtained such foothold that it was readily seen that it would be impossible to save it xp- were seen darting through the windows About this time the front wall of the Clin- ton mill fell over with loud crash, marrow ly missing bnrying numbers of the firemen and spectators beneath it. Shortly after an- other gas explosion occurred from the sewer main in front of the mill, throwing one man ten or twelve feet and scratching his face severely.
 The losses, so far as can be ascertained, on the burned flour mills are as follows: J. A. Kinds, Washington mill, loss $50 900, insur- ance $22, ,O00; Davis & Son, Shawmut mill, loss $50 00O, insurance SEQ, 900; Clinton or Pool mill, loss $50, ,0OO, insurance unknown; r. Wells & Co.,, tool makers, loss $1 ,OOO, in- surarce $600; Kingsbury cracker factory, loss e7,500, no insurance. Tho destruction of the mills it is feared is but a small item, comparatively, as the entire sewerage system of the city, it is believed, has been affected. and that section of it connected with the Municipal Gas company's and the Vacuum Oil company's works almost completely de- stroyed.
 The list of casualties is a long one but only two deaths have been reported, namely, Frederick Wilson, head miller of the Whit ney mill, aged 30 years, leaving a wife and two children, and Edward A. Webster who died in the City hospital. - The injured are: Louis Harpt, Jefferson mills, burned about the face aud hands and inhaled gas, recovery doubtful; Aaron Har- rison, right leg broken by jumping into the river from the third story of building, also injured internally; William Ritchie, left ankle broken and calf of leg cut open; William Wallace, Jefferson mills badly burned about the head, face and hands.
 Mir. Beach, secretary of the Vacuum Oil company, believes that the catastrophe was caused by the breaking of the pipe line be- tween the oil works and the gas works, and promises thorough investigation into the cause Another representative of the com pany said he was sure that the pipe must have been broken by violence, as it was tested by hydrostatic pressure a week ago, the pressure being far greater than that used in pumping oil. He was not prepared to believe that workmen on the drain in ACklHSOu SCFe0G, WHICH IS nearly q mile away from the scene of the disaster, had broken the pipe in excavating. No oil had been pumped for several days, and the fact that the gas company had not received any during the day showed that the pipe was broken before any flow began.
 Later-It is believed that four persons were killed in all. These are Frederick Wilson, Edward A. Webster, Abram Rog- CTS and John Lee. The last named was em. ployed in the Clinton mill, and is missing. It is supposed he was burned to death. Rog- CTS was millwright, and was injured by falling walls. He was taken home and died this morning. Young Wilson was a part owner in the Shawmut mill, and was killed by flying stone.
 Edward Webster was looking at man hole from which the explosions were coming when the explosion in the Jefferson mil happened. burying him under the falling walls. When rescued it was discovered that he was injured internally and had leg and an arm broken. He was taken to the City hospital, where he died last evening. The injured will number at least twenty. Mos of them are bruised and cut by stones
 To Urge Free Entry of Educational Works
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.--Superintenden Bell, of the foreign mail office, postoffice de